Oil saver



Aug. 20, 1940. B. E. PARRlsl-l 2,212,040

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I m #s w/Z m UBM M74 2 bep/Lam: E. Parr/'sb Aug. 20, 1940. B. E. PRRISHon. SAVER- liled may 28, 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 20, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in oil savers.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved device for closingthe upper end of a well pipe or casing and having means for effectivelypacking off around a cable, or other element, which is being run into orout of said well casing, whereby escape of oil, gas, or other uid isprevented.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved oil saverwherein the packing unit may be lowered into or removed from its packingposition by means of a drilling tool or chuck mounted on the cable whichextends through the unit, said unit being so constructed that the cablemay be threaded through and removed from the bore of the unitwithout-removing said tool or chuck, thereby making it possible toinsert or remove the cable from 'the unit without separatingl the chucktherefrom, which results in a saving `of time and labor while performingvarious Well operations. i

A particular object of the invention is to provide an oil saver havingimproved latching-means for locking the packing unit in its seatedposition, said latching means moving to locked po- .sition when the unitis seated and being automatically released when an upward movement isimparted tothe unit, whereby manual manipulation to'lock or unlock theunit in place, is un necessary. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described, having improved means for closing the upper end ofthe well casing, as well as improved sealing means for packing oi aroundthe cable, or other element extending through the device into the wellcasmg. L 1

Still another object of the invention-is to provide an improvedpackingunit for an oil saver which unit is formed with a boresuilciently large to pass a chuck or tool secured to the cable, or otherelement passing through the unit, said bore being arranged vto receivean adapter'after the chuck has been lowered therethrough, whereby theadapter reduces the size of the bore so that the cable, or other elementis held axially in said bore; the adapter also providing a means ,en-

gageable by the chuck, or tool, to permit raising and loweringthe unitby the cable, or. other element, carrying said chuck,y l

A vconstruction designed to carry-,out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with `other features of theinv ention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings,in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly 5 in section of animproved oil saver constructed in accordance with the invention, andshowing the same in its seated and locked position,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 and showing the latching membersmoved inwardly with l0 the packing unit oi' the device being capable ofbeing removed, i

Figure 3 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3 ofFigure 2,

Figure 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly 15 in section of thepacking unit, and showing the same supported on the chuck or toolcarried vby thecable, V e I Figure 5 is'a viewV similar toFigure 4 withthe cable being removed from;v the packing unit, 20

Figure 6 is a plan view of'the packing unit, -v

Figure-7 is a horizontal, cross-sectionall view taken on the lineI-l ofFigure 4, and.

Figure 8 is an isometricview of the split adapter which is insertablefinthe bore of the 4packing 25 unit.

In the drawings, the numeral I0 designates an elongate shell or bodyhaving an axial bore I I extending therethrough. The lower endof thebore II is internallyscrew-threaded, whereby the 30.

body may be mounted on the=usual well casing I2 or other support. Theupper end of theshell is provided with an external shoulder I3 and acollar I4 is adapted to be .threaded onto the upper end of said shell sothat its lower end en- 35 gages the external shoulder I3. It ispreferable that the outer diameter of the co'llar I4 `be substantiallythe same as theouter diameter of the upper portion of theshell, wherebysaid collar forms a continuation of the shell when in posi- 40 tionthereon. Al packing ring I5is confined between an inwardly directed,overhanging shoulder I6 and the upper edge of the shell I0. The packingring I5 is formed with annular-ribs Il` which engage annular recesses orgrooves I8 provided in the shoulder I6 and inthe upper edge ofthe shell(Figure 1), whereby displacement of the ring I5 is prevented. The innerupper end ofthe collar I4 is bevelled or inclined to form albevelledseat I9.

,f f 50 A packing unitor assemb1y'20` is arranged to be inserted withintheshell Ill and this unit' iii-2v cludesan `annular body 2`I. The body2I is ,re-y duced at its lowertportion. 22V wherebyanfexternal, annularshoulder 23 `and an internal shoulder 24 are formed. An external,annular flange 25 is preferably made integral with the upper portion ofthe body 2| and the underside of this ange is inclined or bevelled at28, which bevel is complementary to the inclination of the bevelled seatI9, and whfn the body 2| is inserted within the shell, the flangeengages the seat,

whereby the body 2| is supported wlthinx the shell.

When so supported. the packing ring I5 at the upper end of the shell Iengages the outer surface of the body 2| so as to pack oi the annularspace between said body and the bore of the Shell.

' ber 28 is located within the body 2|. The packing member 28 isprovided with a vertical slit 28 which extends throughout its lengthand, with such arrangement, it is possible to engage said packing memberaround the cable A or to disengage it therefrom without threading thecable through the packing element. The packing member is inserted withinthe upper portion 21 of the bore o f the body and is formed with anexternal shoulder 29 arranged to seat or rest upon the internal shoulder24 formed within the body. A depending skirt 30 is formed on the packingmember and this skirt has its lower end inclined inwardly as shown at3|. It is preferable that the outer diameter of the skirt be slightlysmaller than the diameter of the reduced portion 21 of the bore of thebody 2|.

The packing member 28 is retained within the bore and is moved intosealing position by a suitable split packing gland 32 which isinsertable into the upper end of the bore 21 of the body. The gland isformed with a flange 32 and is threaded into the upper end of the boreof the body 2|. A suitable split metallic ring 34 may be interposedbetween the lower end of the gland 32 and the packing member 28 and,obviously, when the gland is screwed into the bore, the packing member28 is distorted into sealing engagement with the bore of the body 2| andwith the outer surface of the cable or other element A. Thus, it will beseen that when the body 2| is in the shell I8, the packing ring I willseal off between the bore of the shell and the outer surface of the body2 while the packing member 28 will pack olf between the cable and thebore of the body.

For locking the packing assembly in its seated position within the boreof the shell I0, an elongate sleeve 35 is slidable on the lower reducedportion 22 of the body 2|. 'I'his sleeve is formed with an internal,annular shoulder 38 which is adapted to abut the lower end of the body2| when the sleeve is in its upper or raised position. The sleeve is soconstructed that when the shoulder 36 is abutting the lower edge of thebody 2|, the upper end of the sleeve is abutting the external shoulder23 formed on said body, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. The bore 31 ofthe sleeve is of substantially the same diameter as the reduced portion21 of the bore of the body so as to form a continuation thereof. It ispreferable that the outer surface of the sleeve be tapered inwardly atits lower end to facilitate insertion of the packing unit into theshell.

The sleeve is secured to the lower end of the body by latch pins 38,which have their inner ends pivoted within, recesses 39 provided in theexterior surface of the lower end of the body 2|. The pins projectoutwardly through radial, inclined openings 40 which are formed in theupper portion 'of the sleeve 35. It is noted that the openings 40 have alarger diameter than the pins 38, whereby each pin is capable of alimited movement within its respective opening. The outer ends of thepins are adapted to engage within an annular groove or recess 4| whichis formed within the bore of the shell l0 near the upper end of saidbore. The groove or recess 4| is angular in cross-section as is clearlyshown in Figures 1 and 2.

The lower end of the bore 31 of the sleeve 35 is provided with screwthreads 42, whereby a split adapter collar 43 may be mounted within saidbore. The adapter collar is clearly shown in Figure 8 and comprises twoidentical halves or sections, each of which includes an enlarged lowerend and a reduced upper end. When the sections are placed together,dowel pins 45 which extend outwardly from one section, engage withincomplementary openings 46 in the other section to assure properalinement of the sections. Each section is formed with a vertical recess44 located centrally of its face, while the reduced upper end of saidsections is provided with external screw threads; When said sections arealined with each other, they forman adapter having an enlarged head 48at its lower end with an externally threaded nipple extending upwardlytherefrom. The alined recesses 44 of the sections form an axial borethrough which the cable A may extend.

When the nipple 41 is screwed into the bore 31I of the sleeve, the head48 abutsthe lower end of the sleeve 35 and, manifestly, the provision ofthe adapter reduces the size of the bore 31, whereby the cable ismaintained in axial alinement with said bore. The underside of theadapter is arranged to be engaged by a chuck 50, or other tool which issecured on the cable A. It is noted that the diameters of the bore 31 ofthe sleeve 35 and the diameter of the bore 21 of the body are sulllcientto permit the chuck or tool 50 to pass freely therethrough.

In mounting the oil saver, the packing member 28, split ring 34 andsplit gland 32, as well as the adapter 43, are removed from the packingunit 28, as shown in Figure 5. At this time, the packing unit is removedfrom the shell ||I and the sleeve 35 is in the position shown in Figure5, being retained on the body 2| by the latch pins 38. The cable A,having the chuck or tool 58 secured thereon, is then threaded throughthe bore of the body 2| and through the bore of the sleeve 35. After thechuck 50 on the cable A has moved below the lower end of the sleeve 35,the split adapter 43 is engaged around the cable above the chuck. Theadapter is then screwed into the lower end of the bore 31 of the sleeve35, after which the sleeve and body may be lowered so that the adapterrests upon the chuck 50. The packing member 28 is then engaged aroundthe cable and inserted within the bore on top of the packing member andfinally the split gland 32 is positioned above the ring. The gland isthen threaded into the bore, which moves the gland 32 downwardly todistort the packing member 28 into its sealing position.

The packing assembly is thus supported upon the chuck 5l carried by thecable A and when so supported, with the pins in the position shown thesleeve is engaging the in Figure 4. and with the sleeve 35 in its upperor raised position on the body 2|, the upper end of external shoulder 23on the body, while the internal shoulder 38 o1' the sleeve is engagingthe lower end of the body. Due to the inclination of the openings 40through which the latch pins 33 project, said latch pins have been movedto an inner position, whereby their outer ends are completely within theopenings 40. So long as the weight of the packing unit is supported onthe chuck 50, the pins will remain in this position. y

After the packing unit has been assembled as above described, the cableA is disposed over the shell I which is mounted on the upper end oi' thewell casing I2 and, as the cable is lowered, the packing unit. supportedon the chuck 50 carried by said cable, is lowered into the bore of saidshell. Such lowering is permitted because the latch pins 38 are in aretracted position. Downward movement of the cable and packing unit iscontinued until the flange 25 on the body 2| engages the bevelled seatI9 at the upper end of the collar I4. When this occurs, further down-4ward movement of the body 2I is prevented. 'I'he latch pins 38 are solocated on the body and the groove or recess 4I is so located within thebore of the shell, that when the ange 25 engages Athe seat I9, the'outerends of the pins are located opposite the grooves or recesses 4I, as isclearly shown in Figure 2.

After the flange 25 is seated, the cable continues its downward movementwhich causes the sleeve 35 to be lowered with relation to the body 2I.This downward movement of the sleeve with relation to the body causesthe inclined upper surfaces of the openings 40 to engage the pins 38 andswing said pins outwardly, whereby the outer ends of said pins engagewithin the groove or recess 4I in the shell I0. As soon as said pinsengage said recess, the sleeve 35 is suspended from the pins and furtherdownward movement thereof is prevented. Manifestly, the engagement ofthe latch pins in the recess 4I locks the packing unit against upwardmovement in the shell I0 and, therefore, the danger of a pressure withinthe well casing blowing or forcing the packing unit upwardly from theshell, is prevented. The cable may then be run through the devicewithout loss of pressure. If the cable is being pulled upwardly throughthe device, oil, or other liquid, which may adhere to the cable isIstripped from the cable by the packing member 28A and this liquid canescape from the bore of the sleeve 35 through outlet ports 35' providedfor this purpose.

When it is desired to remove the packing unit 20, it is only necessaryto raise the cable until the chuck or tool 50 strikes the underside ofthe adapter 43. Continued upward movement of the cable will raise thesleeve 35 to the position shown in Figure 2, whereby the lower inclinedsurface of each opening 40 engages its respective pin to swing said pinto its retracted position. After the pins have been swung inwardly, acontinued upward movement on the cable will raise the entire packingunit from within the shell I0. After the packing unit is removed fromthe shell, the packing gland 32, ring 34, and packing'rnember 28 may bereadily removed from the upper end of the body. After this is done, thesplit adapter 43 may then be unscrewed from the bore 31 of the sleeve35. Itis then possible toraise the cable and chuck 50 upwardly throughthe bore of the sleeve 35 and the body 2I, whereby the unit may bedisengaged from the cable.

chuck In the 'body and sleeve It is pointed out that the provision ofthe adapter 43 is an important feature of the invention as its use makesit possible to engage or disengage the packing unit around the cablewithout the necessity of removing the chuck or tool 50; Heretofore, ithas been necessary to remove the chuck or tool each time it, was desiredto disengage the packing unit from the cable. 'I'his was necessarybecause the bore of the packing unit was not of suillcient diameter topass the tool or present structure, the bore of the is made of asuicient diameter to permit passage of the chuck or tool 50 and theadapter is provided so as to guide the cable axially within the enlargedbore, vide a means engageable by the chuck or tool so as to permitlowering and raising of the packing unit by means of the chuck. Theforegoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof andvarious changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in thedetails of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.,An oil saver for closing the upper end of a well casing and forpacking oli` around an element carrying a well tool including, a shellmounted on the well casing, a packing unit insertable within the shelland having a bore through which the element extends, said bore being ofsufficient diameter to pass the tool carried bythe element, and meansfor reducing the size of the lower end of said bore after the tool andelement have been threaded therethroug 2. An oil saver for closing theupper end.of a. well casing and for packing oir around an elementcarrying a well tool including, a shell mounted on the well casing, apacking unit insertable within the shell and having a` bore throughwhichthe element extends, said bore being of sufficient diameter to passthe tool carried by the element, and means for reducing the diameter ofthe lower lend of said bore after the tool and element have beenthreaded therethrough, said engaged by the tool whereby the packing unitmay be lowered and raised by means of the element and tool.

3. An oil saver for closing the upper end of a well casing and forpacking oi around an element carrying a well tool including, a shellmounted on the well casing, a packing unit insertable within the shelland having a bore through which the element extends, said bore being ofsufficient diameter to pass the tool carried by the elementmeans forclosing the lower end of said bore after the tool and element have beenthreaded therethrough, and swinging means for locking the packing unitagainst upward movement in the shell.

4. An oil saver for packing off around an element having a well toolsecured thereon including, a support, a packing unit adapted to .seatwithin said support and having a bore of sufcient diameter to pass thewell tool therethrough, a split packing member insertable within thepacking unit and engageable around the element after said element isextending through the unit, and means insertable in the lower end of thebore of said unit and arranged to be engaged with the well tool on theelement, where-V as well as to proclosing means being adapted to be A bysaid element and tool.

ing, a support, a packing unit adapted to seat within said support andhaving a bore of sufcient diameter to pass the well tool therethrough, asplit packing member insertable within the packing unit and engageablearound the element after said element is extending through the unit,means insertable in the lower end of the bore of said unit and arrangedto be engaged with the well tool on the element, whereby the packingunit may be raised and lowered by said element and tool, and swingingmeans for locking the packing unit against upward movement in thesupport.

6. An oil saver for packing olf around an element having a well toolsecured thereon including, a support, a packing unit adapted to vseatwithin said support and having a bore of sufllcient diameter to pass thewell tool therethrough, a split packing member insertable within thepacking unit and engageable around the element after said element isextending through the unit, and a split adapter arranged to be engagedaround the element above the well tool thereon and insertablel withinthe lower end of the bore of the packing unit to reduce the diameter ofthe same, whereby the well tool may engage said adapter to support theunit and the unit may be raised and lowered by the tool and element.

'1. An oil saver for packing off around an element having a well toolsecured therein including, a support, a packing unit adapted to seatwithin said support and having a bore of sufcient diameter to pass thewell tool therethrough, a split packing member insertable within thepacking unit and engageable around the element after saidelement isextending through the ugit, a split adapter arranged to be engagedaround the element above the well tool thereon and insertable within thelower end of the bore of the packing unit to reduce the diameter of thesame, whereby the well tool may engage said adapter to support the unitand the unit may be raised and lowered by the tool and element, andswinging means for locking the packing unit against upward movement inthe support.

8. An oil saver for packing off around an element having a well toolsecured thereon including, a support, a packing unit adapted to seatwithin said support and having a bore of sucientdiameter to pass thewell tool therethrough, a split packing member insertable within thepacking unit and engageable around the element after said element isextending through the unit, means insertable-in the lower end of thebore of said unit and arranged to be engaged with the well tool on theelement, whereby the packing unit may be raised and lowered by saidelement and tool, and pivoted means on the packing unit and engageablewith the support for locking the unit against upward movement in thesupport.

9. An oil saver for packing oi around an element having a well toolSecured thereon including, a support.. a packing unit adapted to seatwithin said support and having a bore of suicient diameter to pass thewell tool therethrough, a split packing member insertable within thepacking unit and engageable around the element after said element isextending through the unit, means insertable in the lower end of thebore of said unit and arranged to be engaged with the well tool on theelement, whereby the packing unit may be raised and lowered by saidelement and tool, pivoted latches on the packing unit and engageablewith the support when the unit moves into seated position for lockingsaid unit against upward movement in the support, and means on the unitfor swinging the latches to a retracted position to permit removal ofthe unit.

10. An oil saver including, a support, an annular body adapted to seatwithin the support and having a cable extending therethrough, a packingmember within the body and surrounding the cable to pack oi therearound,upwardly directed pivoted latches carried by the body and adapted toengage the support to lock the body against upward movement'in thesupport when said body is moved tol operate said latches, and

a sleeve slidable on the body for swinging the latches to a retractedposition upon upward movement of said sleeve.

11. An oil saver including, a support, an annular body adapted to seatwithin the support and having a cable extending therethrough, means forpacking oif between the body and support, a packing member within thebody.A and surrounding the cable to pack off therearound, upwardlyextending pivoted latches carried by the body and adapted to engage thesupport to lock the body against upward movement in the support whensaid body moves to a seated position, and a sleevey slidable on the bodyfor swinging the latches to a retracted position upon upward movement ofsaid sleeve.

12. As a sub-combination in an oil saver, a packing unit for sealing offaround an element having a well tool attached thereto including, anannular body having a bore of sufiicient' size to permit passage of thewell tool therethrough, a packing member insertable within the body andengageable around the element while said element is extending throughthe body, means for supporting the packing member within said body, anda split adapter engageable around the element above the well tool andarranged to be fastened in` the lower end of the bore of the body toreduce the diameter thereof.

13. As a. sub-combination in an oil saver, a packing unit fo'r sealingoff around an element having a well tool attached thereto including, anannular body having a bore of sumcient size to permit passage of theWell tool therethrough, a packing member insertable within the body andengageable around the element while said element is extending throughthe body, means for supporting the packing member within said body, asplit gland engageable around the element and insertable within theupper end of the bore so as to engage the packing member, means forforcing the gland downwardly to distort the packing member into sealingposition, and a split adapter engageable around the element above thewell tool and arranged to be fastened in the lower end of the bore ofthe body to reduce the diameter thereof. l

14. An oil saver for closing the upper end of a well casing and forpacking off around an element carrying a well tool including, a shellmounted on the well casing, a packing unit insertable within the shelland having a bore through which the element extends, said bore being ofsufficient diameter to pass the tool carried by the element, means forclosing the lower end of said bore after the tool and cable have beenthreaded therethrough, and means actuated by the pressure within thecasing for locking the packing unit against upward movement in theshell.

15. An oil saver for packing off around an element having a well toolsecured thereon including, a. support, a packing unit adapted to seatwithin said support and having a bore of sufcient diameter to pass thewell tool therethrough, a split packing member insertable within thepacking unit and engageable around the element after said element isextending through 10 the unit, a. split adapter arranged to be engaged

